Condiment dispensers are used for a variety of applications. Dry condiment dispensers typically include a storage container having one or more chambers, and one or more selectable dispensing orifices. Use of the dispenser typically requires the user to align one of the dispensing orifices with an opening in the top of storage container, direct the dispenser over the intended dispensing location, and rotate the dispenser to allow the condiment to be dispensed.
S. Stillinger, Dispensing Devices, U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,307 (Apr. 19, 1983) discloses a "closure device for a container provided with at least three compartments open at the top of the container and angularly offset from one another around the container axis, including a cover mounted on the top of the container, and presenting first and second dispensing openings, a cap covering the top of the container, enclosing the cover and provided with an outlet opening, and linkage connected between the cover and cap for permitting the cap to rotate relative to the cover so that the outlet opening of the cap moves between the first and second dispensing openings". While Stillinger discloses a device that can be used to dispense different condiments, and provides different dispensing openings for dispensing varying amounts of condiments, the handheld device requires the manual action of a user to choose the desired dispenser opening, align the dispenser opening and outlet opening with the desired condiment, and manually dispense the condiment. Furthermore, condiments must either be filled manually into each of the compartments of the chamber, or new containers full of new condiments must be replaced as a unit, potentially resulting in the waste of remaining condiments in other compartments within the old container.
L. Zimmerman, Condiment Shaker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,192,005 (Mar. 9, 1993) discloses a "condiment shaker including a hollow body with an enlarged opening therethrough receiving a pivotally mounted lid for rocking between a closed position and a dispensing position". While Zimmerman discloses a shaker that can be used to dispense different condiments, the shaker requires the manual action of a user to align the dispenser opening and to manually dispense the condiment. Furthermore, condiments must be filled manually into the shaker.
J. Swett and E. Herlow, Condiment Shaker, U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,667 (Dec. 18, 1984) disclose a container for condiments having multiple distinct dispensing ports. A mountable cover includes a movable component, which, upon displacement, exposes one of the dispensing ports. The cover is mountable at predetermined positions for alignment of the movable component with any one of the discharge ports for a selective exposure thereof while the remaining ports remain sealed. While Swett et al. disclose the selective application of different ports for the dispensing of a condiment in a manual hand-shaker, the user must manually pick up, rotate and shake the dispenser to dispense the condiments.
W. Bounds, Dual Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,521 (Mar. 18, 1980) discloses a "condiment dispenser having two separate compartments for use in separately dispensing two different condiments, such as salt and pepper. The top of the compartment is covered by a cap member. One or more apertures are formed in opposite sides of the cap member to form a condiment pouting outlet for each of the compartments". While Bounds discloses a device that can be used to dispense different condiments, and provides different dispensing openings for dispensing varying amounts of condiments, the handheld device requires the manual action of a user to manually dispense the condiment. Furthermore, condiments must either be filled manually into each of the compartments of the chamber, or new containers full of new condiments must be replaced as a unit, potentially causing waste of remaining condiments in other compartments within the old container.
Sellers, Condiment Shaker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,281 (Jul. 4, 1995) discloses a condiment shaker having a structure which provides for the condiment "to be discharged by shaking up and down but without reversing the shaker from its storage position, the condiment remaining is effectively isolated from the atmosphere". While Sellers discloses a shaker that can be used to dispense different condiments, the shaker requires the manual action of a user to manually dispense the condiment. Furthermore, condiments must be filled manually into the shaker.
H. Spies, Dispensing Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,026,336 (May 31, 1977) discloses the transfer of materials from a first container to a second container. Loose materials are transferrable from the first container via a neck or spout assembly, which is adapted for use in transferring the materials into the second container, in which the second container includes a normally closed access opening in a lid or endwall dimensioned to permit passage of a tubular member of the neck assembly. While Spies discloses the downward dispensing of materials through an opening, the disclosed second container is highly specialized, and requires direct contact with the first container to initiate dispensing therebetween.
M. Austin, Dispenser for Flowable Particulate Material, U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,807 (Dec. 23, 1975) discloses a "device for use with a container for flowable material for dispensing predetermined volumes of the material from the container, the dispenser including an outer element fixed with respect to the container and an inner element slidable with respect to the outer element between an open position and a closed position". "The outer element is provided with a door to discharge the contents of each compartment, and the inner element is provided with an operating handle extending through the wall of the container so that operating the handle causes the inner element to slide between its open and closed position". While Austin discloses a dispenser that can be used to dispense different volumes of condiments, the shaker requires the manual action of a user to manually dispense the condiment. Furthermore, the dispensed volume of condiment must be refilled each time the dispenser is used.
R. Russillo, and D. Russillo, Dispenser Apparatus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,437,396 (Aug. 1, 1995) disclose dispensers which dispense condiments from a chamber, in which "a push-valve extends the inside of the chamber through the bottom of the chamber. The valve has an up position which fills and stores a preselected amount of the condiment, and a down position which dispenses the condiment. The valve has an inner cylinder which slides within an outer cylinder". While Russillo et al. disclose a dispenser in which a specific volume of condiment is dispensed, the condiment is transferred on a "store and forward" basis, requiring the repeated operations of the dispenser to dispense different quantities. Furthermore, the device is not easily adapted to dispense different specific volumes. Also, the condiments are added directly to top chamber, which includes numerous components that come into direct contact with the condiments.
Other prior art manual hand-held dispensers have addressed the clearing of dispensing passages for dry condiments.
W. Morris, Container and Dispenser for Material in Granular or Powder Form, U.S. Pat. No. 4,598,844 (Jul. 8, 1986) discloses a "container and dispenser for granular or powdered material in which the container has an upper aperture and dispensing orifices are defined by a flexible member which permits the orifices to be expanded with resulting contraction to break loose clogged material from the orifices". While Morris discloses that the container and dispenser include a flexible member to break loose clogged material, the flexible member is located directly in the opening of the dispenser, potentially restricting flow of condiment, and requiring movement of the flexible member to initiate the breaking loose of clogged material.
P. Patrinos, Condiment Dispenser with Hole-Clearing Means, U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,678 (Jul. 29, 1980) discloses a "condiment dispenser including a container having a plurality of dispensing openings in the top surface thereof; a plurality of prongs disposed within the container aligned for insertion into the openings", a camming bar, and a spring for biasing the prongs away from the openings and against the camming bar.
R. Jordan and R. Boldt, Dispensing Grid, U.S. Pat. No. 3,563,417 (Feb. 16, 1971) disclose a "dispensing grid for use in a dispenser for solid, particulate matter, such as salt, features rounded upper surfaces and wedge-shaped lower surfaces, the intersecting ribs comprising the grid preferably being at two levels". "The rounded upper surfaces minimize salt-entrapment beneath the flush-fitting closure, and the chisel-point lower surfaces break up agglomerated lumps of the material".
Some prior art has addressed the use of multiple dispensers and condiment storage systems.
R. Gettleman and P. Stoner, Mobile Beverage Dispensing Cart, U.S. Pat. No. 4,076,349 (Feb. 28, 1978) disclose a "mobile, self-contained beverage dispensing cart", "containing a plurality of internal and external non-communicating chambers for the storage of hot liquid beverages, and the liquid and gaseous components of the cold dispensed beverages to be dispensed therefrom". "The hot beverages are dispensed by gravity feed through manually-controlled spigots, whereas the cold carbonated beverages are dispensed with the aid of pressure generated within the system by CO.sub.2 stored in tanks incorporated within the cart's interior". While Gettleman et al. disclose the use of multiple beverage dispensers, they fail to disclose specific dispensing hardware for dry condiments.
D. Medellin and R. Pope, Refreshment Center for Use with Bottled Water Dispensers, U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,418 (Jan. 23, 1990) disclose a "portable refreshment center particularly adapted to fit over a conventional water bottle of a water bottle dispenser comprising a compartmentalized refreshment item retaining means for orderly storage of various individual condiment and refreshment items, and a mounting means for mounting it on the water bottle". While Medellin et al. disclose the compartmentalized storage of various individual condiment and refreshment items, they fail to disclose specific dispensing hardware for dry condiments.
D. Boyd, Securable Beverage Dispensing Server, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,872 (Mar. 14, 1989) discloses a beverage and condiment dispensing server, which "consists of a support framework having a base, a cup supporting service and sidewalls extending generally vertically therebetween". The server's base is "dimensioned to receive two, laterally positioned, removable trays for receiving and organizing condiments and the like". While Boyd discloses the compartmentalized storage of various individual condiments, he fails to disclose specific dispensing hardware for dry condiments.
Several designs have also been disclosed for single and multiple condiment dispensers.
Ancona and J. Ancona, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 338,598 (Aug. 24, 1993) disclose a design for a hand-held grinding dispenser.
W. Bounds, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 257,205 (Oct. 7, 1980) discloses a design for a hand-held multiple condiment dispenser.
Ancona and J. Ancona, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 336,831 (Jun. 29, 1993) disclose a design for a hand-held grinding dispenser.
T. Bovet, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 262,768 (Jan. 26, 1982) discloses a design for a condiment dispenser having a closed position and an open position.
Reeves-Jackson, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 336,016 (Jun. 1, 1993) discloses a design for a condiment dispenser having multiple compartments and multiple dispensing openings.
B. Ancona and J. Ancona, Condiment Dispenser, U.S. Pat. No. 336,833 (Jun. 29, 1993) disclose a design for a hand-held dispenser.
W. Morris, Combined Condiment Dispenser and Stand Therefor, U.S. Pat. No. 352,867 (Nov. 29, 1994) discloses a design for a combined dispenser.
The disclosed prior art systems and methodologies thus provide condiment shakers and dispensers, but fail to provide a condiment dispensing system that allows the precise controlled delivery of varying quantities of different condiments, in a design that does not require the user to manually lift, rotate or shake the storage container. The development of such a condiment dispensing system would constitute a major technological advance. Furthermore, the development of multiple condiment dispensing systems that can be combined to form a dispensing station would constitute a major technological advance.